Audioslave
Out Of Exile
On Sale Now
For $11.48

We all want this to be an amazing band because the elements are all there. Everything is in its right place. Chris Cornell is one of our best, most confident modern vocalists with a screeching howl that is soothing as Buckley or piercing as Robert Plant. Tom Morello is one-part experimental craftsman akin to Robert Fripp but can still manage to trounce out a solo that is on par with Page. And let’s face it the rest of the band is amazing at what they do too. But the expectations manage to always surpass, just by the fact that I have compared both of the abovementioned names to idolized songwriters. I still stand by my conviction in their strengths, but when it all comes down to it, Audioslave are not listening to the Army commercials: They are not all that they can be. Their debut was a middle-of-the-road rock record with good songs, nothing more and there’s nothing wrong with that. Cornell belted, Morello wailed, and the rest of the group backed them up with ease. The same can be said about their second outing, Out Of Exile, which is both frustrating and rewarding. It’s a little more focused than their overlong debut and the last three songs are amongst the best in their catalog thus far.

Many of the songs sound like they're just on the verge of achieving liftoff, never quite reaching their potential. There are moments, usually arriving in the latter half, where Audioslave unexpectedly, curiously clicks, sounding more like a band and not a cross-marketer's grand scheme to sell records. “Be Yourself” is as average as a rock song can get, and even Morello sounds restrained, relying on sleepy chords instead of monster-riffs. By the end of hearing that track, it's clear that this pairing was a clever idea, but not necessarily an inspired one. In fact, there was talk of this being a side project or a one-time deal. It’s great to see that they’ve stuck together, even if they’ve only slightly evolved. “#1 Zero” showcases what this band is truly capable of and makes you’d wish they’d opt for more over-the-top theatrics than reserved radio-friendly singles like “Dandelion.” “Zero” in particular has a punch-to-the-gut symphonic culmination encompassed by Cornell’s resilient, bluesy wail that ends on a high note. “Lord, I will keep you in the corner of my eye/I will be the bird in your straw/But you won't get far/I will keep you in the corner of my eye” sings Cornell and although he’s rarely constructed a lyrical phrase for the history books, he’s never sounded more assured than during this particular song. Ditto the band. “Yesterday To Tomorrow” differentiates itself with phat bass and a mix of strummed 12-string acoustic and stuttering Strats. But far too often, some songs sound like predictable retreads especially with “Drown Me Slowly,” which sounds more like an outtake from the first record.

Blame it on the prosperous history and palpable sound of their previous bands, but it's also because the foursome has still not found a universal, original sound to call its own. They still rely on the past more than reaching outward to the future. More often than not, Exile goes through the (e)motions veering between Soundgarden's trademark sinister rock ("Your Time Has Come") or jerky Rage jams with some other guy singing instead of rapping ("Out of Exile"). It’s also sad to read the lyric book without any inclination towards the tumultuous political climate, which Cornell himself has expressed no interest in pursuing. It’s not that Exile is a bad record but it’s fairly humdrum from track one onward and pales in comparison to inexperienced rock bands that are doing more with the genre (Sleater-Kinney for example). The repetitive fluctuation of sounds goes back and forth ultimately satisfying fans of both bands but bringing little new or exciting to the table. However there is no denying the phenomenal talent on display here even if we all know they are capable of so much more.

Copyright © 2010 ModernRock.com All Rights Reserved